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oxalic acid dribble

Being the straight shooter I am, I would never consider using an unapproved compound in one of my hives. On the other hand, I have a friend who isn’t so proper. My friend applied an oxalic acid dribble to about 15 of his hives yesterday. Afterward he put clean corrugated sheets underneath those with screened bottoms. We stopped by that yard today and pulled sheets from beneath the hives that had screened bottoms. A half a dozen mites here…a few there and I….er… we were beginning to think the whole exercise was a waste until we got to this hive.
Some of the hives had solid bottoms, so we weren’t able to look at those but nine had sbb and this was the only one with a big fallout but my-oh-my did they fall out.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: oxalic acid dribble

Originally Posted by jrbbees

From this which do you think is more effective? Dribble or sublimate OA?

I really don't have an opinion. I've managed to get by with a single, late summer/early fall treatment using a thymol product. But then, last spring my mite loads exploded....and by the time I realized it, the flow was on and there wasn't anything to do. I ended up doing a post harvest, hopguard summer treatment that I didn't complete because of the heat.
So this year I ....my friend decided to be proactive...in case this winter ends up as mild as last.
And to answer your question....this is my friend's first experience using oxalic acid. He plans to apply it to his remaining hives over the next couple of weeks. Since his hives are broodless...or nearly so....the dribble method looked good.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: oxalic acid dribble

My friend likes to split a big double and flip the top box upside down and trickle down through the bottom bars and then between the top bars in the lower box. I'm sure he said he uses a 3.2% solution. Boy are his bees looking good right now. Darn if his name dosent escape me at the moment.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: oxalic acid dribble

Originally Posted by jim lyon

. I'm sure he said he uses a 3.2% solution.

My friend used the same concentration....what a coincidence. On his double deeps he removed the top, trickled the bees below, returned the top and trickled those above.
His hives are lookin' pretty good too......

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: oxalic acid dribble

Originally Posted by Mbeck

once a week for 3 weeks to cover one round of brood.

Everything I've read states specifically that 1 treatment per year is the max. The idea for the dribble is to catch them clustered without brood...so all of the mites are phoretic. According to the studies I've read it can drop 90+%...so in theory my friend will go into spring with only a few mites. Fingers are crossed.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards

Re: oxalic acid dribble

Originally Posted by ralittlefield

I'm wondering if the mites developed a tolerance for it?

I don't think resistance is impossible but pretty unlikely. Thymol, as I understand it damages the cuticular surface of the mite's exoskeleton. For them to develop a different surface would require alteration of a substantial number of genes....unlike the synthetics that affect a single neurochemical....requiring an alteration of a single or small set of genes.
Just my oversimplistic (mis)understanding of it all.

Dan www.boogerhillbee.com
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards